Podcasts about faith in jesus christ

Our reading of 1 John concludes today as John continues to discuss how one might discern between those who have been born of God and those who are still worldly. One must love God and the commands of God through victorious faith in Jesus Christ which comes by the testimony of the Spirit. The one who has the Son has life, but the one who does not have the Son does not have life. In Christ, we can come to God the Father boldly in prayer, knowing that he hears us. Wrapping up his letter where he began, John says that the one who has been born of God does not continue in sin.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Do you ever feel like you are shackled and chained to the never-ending pursuit of things that are supposed to be life-giving only to realize they are lifeless and leave you feeling empty in the end? Join us on a journey through the book of Galatians where you will meet Jesus and discover the life-giving reality of the true gospel. The true gospel has the power to break the chains of sin and self-righteousness that lead to death and give life and freedom to those who live by faith in Jesus Christ. Not the kind of freedom that allows us to live however we want, but a freedom that helps us to live the way God wants. In Christ, we have been set free to live free!

Show Notes:If you are a person of faith, no matter your concept of God and faith, what role does your faith in God play in your path towards your success? For me personally it's impacted the goals I have chosen to pursue, my view of what success is, my feelings about money, and more. For our guest today, her faith in God has influenced her own journey every step of the way. So much so that she now hosts a very successful podcast focused on faith and strives to live every day so she can be a little pencil in God's hands. Our guest today is Morgan Jones. Morgan is the host of the All In podcast and works as a senior content producer for Deseret Book. She previously wrote for the Deseret News where she published more than 480 stories. The All In podcast has collected over 9 million downloads in three years since its launch in October 2018. Her new book, All In: Exploring What It Means to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shares what she has learned from interviewing over 130 people about their faith in Jesus Christ. Morgan is happiest when wearing sweatpants and will never get enough dark chocolate. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, but will forever be a North Carolina Tarheel.  On the show today we discuss the following:Who is Morgan Jones and what does she do (4:02)The most impactful interviews on Morgan's show (11:01)Striving to be a little pencil in God's hands (19:03)Goal setting and submission (25:18)How life has not gone according to plan for Morgan (34:43)How Morgan's faith changed as a result of her journey (44:23)What does it mean to Morgan to be a Contender (52:53)How to learn more about Shea:Morgan's Podcast: All InMorgan's ArticlesMorgan's Book: "All In: Exploring What It Means to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ"Additional Books, Individuals, or Items Discuss in the show:Consider the Butterfly by Carol Lynn PearsonDavid O. McKayEmily SnyderRussell M. NelsonJoseph B. Wirthlin's talk "Sunday Will Come"Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk "Always in the Middle"T Harvey EckerBook of MormonContact the Host: rob@contenderswanted.comGiveaway: If you'd like a copy of our free e-book "How to Find Your Path to Your Success”, click this link (www.contenderswanted.com/yourpath) or email me at rob@contenderswanted.com with the subject like “Success” and I'll send you a free copy. 

Scripture:   |  1 Corinthians 13:4-6; Ephesians 6:4Sermon Series:   | Me and My HouseThe world is really different than it was back in the day, when you and I were kids. But the goal of our families hasn't changed. We want to raise great kids, we want to love each other well, and we want to enjoy every ounce of the God-given gift that family can bring.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Slideshow for this message is available Introduction John 13-14 Well, open your Bible's to John chapter 14. When I was in high school my parents took us up the Pudget sound to go sailing. My uncle knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who was ‘really good' - one of those confidence inducing relationships. So we set out and the wind was stiff but we were nicely protected by this large peninsula that was jutting out into the open water. Everything was going great until we lost the shelter of that peninsula. As soon as we hit the open water, within a matter of seconds, the full blast of the high winds of the pudget sound hit our sails at a sharp right angle to our boat and we were catapulted sideways. The blast was so hard we all fell to the deck and grabbed anything we could to hang on. And I remember watching the sail lean over so far, they dipping into the water. We were just hanging on for dear life and I thought, “Oh great we've capsized in the middle of the ocean. No boat can recover from this position.” The sails of our boat were literally laying on the surface of the water. But then to my absolute astonishment this boat that was laying almost perpendicular to the water slowly righted itself. It just stood straight back up. And then the sails filled again and it capsized a second time. And then a third time. But every time the sails emptied, it stood straight back up. In the sailing world, this is called a knock over. That was my introduction to the concept of ballast. Every sailing boat has this giant amount of weight that is positioned deep down in the boat, often times many feet beneath the surface at the bottom of the keel. When that boat is perfectly vertical, the ballast is doing nothing. But as soon as to boat begins to tip the force of the ballast begins to counter the force of the sails. And the more it tips, the more the ballast kicks in. Without the ballast the ship would be super top heavy and it was just instantly fall over, even without wind. But with ballast the vessel can actually leverage and harness the wind's energy. Well, today we want to talk about a spiritual ballast available to us that allows us to counter tremendous environmental storms that might come our way and even leverage those storms for good purposes. The Christian has access to a stabilizing force that keeps us from being tipped over by the trials and storms and difficulties of life and even catapults us forward in the direction of God's kingdom. Today's message is all about the way to add that ballast to your soul so that you will not be shaken. The Context Remember, in John 14, Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples. And Jesus was letting them know about a serious impending spiritual storm. There was a category five hurricane about ready to bear down on them. And Jesus, knowing this storm was looming, was doing everything he could to pour ballast into the hull of their souls. He was just dumping heavy rocks in as fast as he could to stabilize his disciples for what he knew was coming. And what was coming? Do you remember from last week? Jesus predicts that Peter's faith is about to shatter. Peter is banging on his chest saying, “Lord, I'll die for you!” And Jesus looks Peter in the eye and says, “Will you? Will you die for me?” Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times. Your faith is about to shatter like a pane of glass. Your confidence is unfounded. And I'm sure all the disciples look at one another and say to themselves, if Peter's faith is about to shatter, what does that mean for the rest of us? There's all this uncertainty and this cloud of doubt gets kicked up. They are profoundly upset. And rightly so. Jesus is going to die. Jesus keeps alluding to it. There's a storm coming that is going to bear down on them. They will lose all bearings. Their sails will dump into the sea. Every single one of these disciples is going to suffer a horrible death as followers of Jesus. It will seem like their is no hope, like they will certainly perish, like there is no possible way for them to survive. People don't survive when they are capsized like this. But there's this ballast that just hangs and pulls and it makes them ultimately untippable. The wind is howling, the sails empty, and then out of the grave of that suffering, they rise. So what is this ballast that the Christian possesses? We are going to see what it is, how to get it, why it's wonderful and how you can know it's true. Let's start with what it is. What's the ballast? When things are hard, the one thing you need is hope. Hope changes everything. Hope is ballast. A person can suffer almost anything if there is hope. If there is a reason for the suffering, we can endure. If there is an end of the suffering we can make it. And so Jesus says, "Yes, you are about get blasted by this hurricane. But here's what I want you to think about. I want the glory of this thought, the weight of this idea to stabilize you. Here's a truth so weighty it will pull you up out of that storm and cause you to rise against all odds. There's one phrase in here that makes all the difference in the world, “I will come again.” That one phrase creates HOPE. The Navy Seals are famously known for their slogan, “No One Left Behind” which means that if you are captured behind enemy lines your team is going to come back for you. Someone out there is thinking about you, someone is planning your escape, someone will rescue you. That single piece of information makes all the difference. You may be captured. You may be imprisoned. You may be tortured. But know this. We are coming for you. The core promise here in John 14 is identical. Jesus simply says, “I'm coming for you to take you home.” Yes, you might suffer a terrible illness. Yes, you might be persecuted for the name of Christ. You might suffer marginalization, beatings, imprisonments, torture. But know this: Jesus Christ is coming to take you home. That is such simple concept and yet so incredibly profound. In my father's house are many rooms. There's a place for you that I've prepared and I'm coming. Now, one quick note regarding translations. The KJV is an excellent translation of the Bible and it has served and still marvelously serves millions of people. There are a few places where the King James Translation is really sticky and this is one of them. The King James translates this, “In my father's house are many mansions.” How many of you have that translation in your head? That's the version in my head. The word mansion brings to mind giant estates with pools and beach-side houses. Well that's definitely not the idea here. You have to remember the KJV is an old translation. It was originally translated in 1611 (410 years old) and the English language has changed a lot since then. The Greek word translated mansions is the word μοναὶ, (plural of μονή) which simply means dwelling place (room). The latin word mansio comes from this Greek word. And then our English word comes from the Latin word. When it was originally translated mansion literally meant room. It didn't have the meaning it did today. So you are a translator of the KJV in 1611. And you come to this verse, “In my father's house are many _______.” You have two or three really good options. You could choose dwelling place, room, or mansion. All of them basically mean the same thing. Why not choose the word that is a derivative of the original? So that's what they did. That makes sense. But of course the word has changed a lot since then. Now, there's actually another word in English we get from the Greek Word. It's our word mason. A mason is one who builds dwellings of stone. The homes built with stone were permanent dwellings. Jesus is saying, I go to prepare for you a room, but one made of stone (so to speak), a eternal dwelling place. This is the core of the promise. We all seek a place to dwell, permanently. Those of you who know me, know I love to work with my hands. I love projects. But if I'm going to do something I want to do it once. I don't want to come back years later and have to do it again. And therefore my dream in life is to retire and quarry out large stones and build a castle. Whoever built this is my hero. It's amazing. Hundreds and hundreds of years old and it's still standing. There's a permanence that just sings to your heart, doesn't it? Our houses are made of sticks of wood. If your sprinklers get on the siding it just rots away in a few years. How lame is that? Answer: very lame. We want something permanent. If it's not permanent then there's insecurity. If you are living under a bridge, that's pretty insecure. You could upgrade to a hotel. But that's still not too secure. You could upgrade to an apartment. But even an apartment has less security than a home. But even a home that is really owned by the bank is less secure than a home that's owned by you. Which of these does your heart long for. Your heart longs for a permanent place. A place where you can dwell forever. This points to something deep in us. When Jesus say, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He's referencing this deep longing we all have for permanence. What's the ballast of the Christian? There's a permanent, eternal place for you. Long for it as you may, this world CANNOT provide it. But Jesus can! Jesus is coming to take you to that permanent place! Well that sounds great! How do we get there? When you read the text, initially, there's this sense of exhilaration. Sweet! I can't wait to have my castle in the sky. When do I get my place? That's not it. We discover that that can't be what he's talking about. This arresting realization comes via a surprising stipulation. There's a disturbing disclaimer. If you want a permanent place you have to go on this very narrow way. If you are on the way, you get the place. If you aren't on the way you'll never get to the place. Christianity is a very exclusive religion. Jesus does not say, "I am going to prepare a place for everyone." That place is only prepared for those who are on the way. Now what do we mean when we say that Jesus is the way? When we talk about a way, implied is a destination. There's one and only one route that can be followed to reach that destination - that is the way. When you get on I-84, where are you headed? It depends on which way you go - East or West. You might end up in Portland or Miami. That's a pretty big difference. Let's say you start going East. That's part of the way. But that's not enough. Going East might land you in Miami but it also might end you up in NYC. You make a decision about a few hundred miles down the road that determines that. Every intersection represents a decision point and therefore a different way. After every decision the possible destinations narrow. If you want a specific beach in Florida, then eventually you have to go through this narrow little draw gate. And you pay your fee and have to squeeze through that parking gate and there's spikes on the road so it admits traffic in one direction. There's ONLY one way. This is Jesus' picture of salvation. Matthew 7 The point Jesus is making in John 14 is that the way and the destination is one and the same. The reason that Jesus is the only way to the place is that he is the place. It's like saying the way to enjoy coffee is by drinking coffee. Jesus is the way to the place because Jesus is the place. Hasn't that been the whole point of all the I Am statements? I am the bread of life. I am living waters I am the the light of the world I am the vine You want life? light? sustenance? It's in me. Well, if that's the case that Jesus is the place, that the destination is Jesus, why does he have to go away to prepare it? Why does he have to go away to prepare a place if he is the place. The place is prepared already, right? Great observation. This is absolutely correct. The place is ready for us but we are not ready for the place. Jesus' departure is His preparing of us for the place. Think about it. This has to be the interpretation especially from what you know of John's style. Jesus is not going to heaven as if heaven doesn't have enough room and he's got to start a remodeling project. That's goofy. That can't possibly be what is meant. In the context, it is the going itself, via the cross and resurrection, that prepares the place for us. It's the going that makes the way. It's the going that prepares the way. Without him going to the cross their can be no way. You see, we cannot enter that place. We are unfit. We are unclean. Our muddy feet have no place in that kingdom. But it's the cross that makes the way available. The author of Hebrews makes this point explicit. He's talking about this problem of sin in the Old Covenant. In the OT sin created this barrier between men and God and so there was this veil that separated. We need God but if we get close to God we die. Our sin makes us unfit. And so there was this whole sacrificial system which allowed men to approach God through the blood of sacrifice. But then Jesus came and made a way for us to approach God because he took away our sin. Hebrews 10 The way is through his flesh. Do you see that it is Jesus' departure via the cross, that creates the way, that makes the way to the place. That is the narrow gate. It is through the flesh of Jesus that we enter into God. Listen, if you are not on that way and want to get on it, then here's what you do. Believe that Jesus is the way. Believe that Christ died for your sins. Place your faith in Jesus Christ and then be baptized. That's what you need to do. Believe and be baptized. Right now, place your faith in Christ and then come find me afterwards and say, “I just placed my faith in Jesus and I want to be baptized.” And then we are going to celebrate with you. Right church? Jesus says, the reason the place is wonderful is that the Father is there which, for the disciples, should feel very familiar to them. You see it here again. I am the place. You want to get to heaven and behold the glory of God. I am the glory of God. I am the place. Know me, and you know the father. Now, this is unsatisfactory to Philip. You can see the wheels in his head turning. He doesn't like this answer. He says: Philip gets a lot of flack for this but Philip is being reasonable. He was right in recognizing that when he was looking at Jesus, he wasn't seeing what Moses saw on top of the mountain. He wasn't seeing what Isaiah saw in the chapter 6 where the whole temple shook with the glory of the Lord. It wasn't the shakina glory. There is something missing. And that is exactly what Philip is asking for. So why is he being rebuked here by Jesus? Because Philip wasn't aware of the problem. Yes, Philip, that's the goal. I want to show you all my glory. I want to show you the unveiled version. But you are in no condition for that unveiled blast. Do you even remember Moses? Do you even understand what was necessary for him to see just the backside of me? He had to be hid in the cleft of the rock? You want to see the glory of God and not be incinerated? You want to see the father? You think you are in a better condition than Moses? You too need to be hid in a cleft. I am the cleft. I am the veil that right now is keeping you from being consumed. Behind me is the Father. If the glory of my father would come out of me it would destroy you. I am shielding you from instant death by glory. I and the Father are one. You want to see the Father? Hide yourself in me. Now you will see, one day with unveiled faces. How? If you want to go to see the glory of the Father, then I must go and prepare a way. I must go and the VEIL of my flesh must be torn in two so that through my torn flesh you can now enter with UNVEILED faces. The point of heaven is behold the unveiled glory of God. The reason heavent is awesome is because God is. God is the end. God is the point. God is the supreme finale. It's begins and ends with him. Why did we take time to correct the KJV translation of mansions? It's not because we are trying to say that heaven won't be full of mansions. There will be mansions. Just read the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation. Streets of gold, a sea of crystal, gates of pearls. Whatever that's referencing, it's painting the picture of opulence like we've never known. So why fuss about the translation. Because the point of the John 14 is that you are going to love heaven not because of the 5 star accommodations. You are going to love heaven because of who is there. Our desires ultimately point us to the unveiled GLORY of the Father who accepts us in Christ. That's our ballast. That makes us untippable. No storm can tip a Christian who has that as their hope. Now one final point. Now Philip is saying, that sounds crazy. How can you be God? How can the glory of the Father on Mt Sinai be the same as you, this normal human standing in front of me? What's the answer. I'm not normal. You see the miracles point to something. Our entire faith hinges on the reality of miracles. A lot of people try to find natural explanations for miracles as if they are doing God a favor in doing that. We don't want people to think that Christians are a bunch of crazies so we are trying to sterilize all these miracles. But they are actually doing the opposite. Would you have confidence that Jesus was the Son of God, that he was actually God incarante if all he did was heal people of headaches. The claim is giant. The claim cannot be believed unless there is something significant to back it. Here were people who traveled closely with Jesus and of anyone who was in the position to be a whistle blower it would be these guys. And yet Jesus looks them straight in the eye and says, if you don't believe me, believe the miracles. Healing blind people, watching withered hands grow, raising people from the death. Let the miracles do the talking. The logic is pretty tight. Whoever can do miracles like this has a right to speak for God. And what is this God-man saying? In my father's house are many rooms. I go to prepare a place for you. And I will come again. Advent Introduction Now, as in right now, advent begins. We all want a place of permanence. We all want a home. And during the Christmas season we celebrate how God made a WAY for us to be with the Father in that home. This sermon is the last in our series on John for the year and also the first in our advent series. Jesus Christ came to earth to make a way for us to have a home in heaven. And so for the next several weeks we are going to look at the way to our home. What is a home? It's not a house. It's not less than that, but it's more than that. A home is a place where you're totally accepted. Home is a place where you can be yourself. You can be you. The decorations match you. The music is you. The lighting is you. The food is you. It has your chair. You can be you and you are accepted. It's the place that fits you. That's home. Home is the place that by merely being in it, it gives you life. As good as your earthly home is, it's got problems, the biggest of which is it's not permanent. You will die. You're true home, the thing your heart longs for is heaven. But…. and this is significant, the whole problem is that you can't be you in the presence of God. Heaven is the source of life and if you tried to go there, your life would be snuffed out in a second. Your not fit for the presence of God. You see this is what Christmas is all about. It's offering you a way. It's about the gift of life, it's offering a way to experience that life of God. Our theme for the year is LIFE in his love. The purpose of the book of love is that we might believe and have LIFE in his name. For the next three weeks we will pause from our series in John and enter into our Christmas series entitled, “Unto us, a LIFE is Given.” It's a play on words. The next three messages will play off the three meanings contained in that title. Unto us a life is given. We've also put together an advent booklet that goes along with these themes and Trent is going to walk us through how to use it.

Episode 466 - Show NotesGrace is often defined as the unmerited, unearned, and undeserved kindness of God. Grace is "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it.”At 50 years old, I'm still trying to understand God's grace. My natural tendency is to think I need to work for or earn the goodness of God. Show me what to do, and I'll do it. I'm still trying to understand why God would love me as he does. What would compel him to give me so much grace, mercy, and kindness?Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more—no amount of spiritual disciplines, no amount of Bible knowledge gained, no amount of serving or helping the poor. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.  Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love. When we were at our worst, Jesus loved us the most. Paul said in Romans…While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.To say that someone deserves grace would be a conflict of terms.Grace is the offer of exactly what we do not deserve.  It cannot be recognized or received until we are aware of how undeserving we really are.So, how do we receive God's grace? Grace is received as we acknowledge Jesus as God's Son.  It begins with faith.  Grace is activated in our life when we place our faith in Jesus Christ – a decision to believe that Jesus is who he says he is.  Grace begins with a decision to trust in his death on the cross for the payment of our sins.John 1:16 says “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.”Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” 5MinuteDiscipleship.comThe 5 Minute Discipleship Journal

Scripture:   | Hebrews 12:10-11; Job 5:17-18Sermon Series:   | Me and My HouseThe world is really different than it was back in the day, when you and I were kids. But the goal of our families hasn't changed. We want to raise great kids, we want to love each other well, and we want to enjoy every ounce of the God-given gift that family can bring.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture:  1 John 4:18; 1 Corinthians 13:5Sermon Series:   | Me and My HouseThe world is really different than it was back in the day, when you and I were kids. But the goal of our families hasn't changed. We want to raise great kids, we want to love each other well, and we want to enjoy every ounce of the God-given gift that family can bring.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture:  Matthew 5:38–5:48Sermon Series:  According to JesusEveryone has their own take on how the world should work. Even Jesus. Far from passive and lacking an opinion, Jesus offered clear--and in some cases--controversial takes on practical topics, insisting that those following after him turn a critical eye toward their everyday activities.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 12:9-24Sermon Series:  QuitterJesus has freed the world to be quitters, laying aside the empty attitudes of this world and embracing an approach to life that is overflowing with peace and brings blessing to others.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Season 2, Episode 47. Jesus' kingdom is full of love and acceptance. Can we embrace one another? Let us be a sanctuary for one another. A place of kindness, inclusion, acceptance, and forgiveness for others. So this feast of Christ the King - let us remember that Jesus needs to be the King of our hearts. Let us help each other increase our faith in Jesus Christ in the Catholic church.

Do you ever feel like you are shackled and chained to the never-ending pursuit of things that are supposed to be life-giving only to realize they are lifeless and leave you feeling empty in the end? Join us on a journey through the book of Galatians where you will meet Jesus and discover the life-giving reality of the true gospel. The true gospel has the power to break the chains of sin and self-righteousness that lead to death and give life and freedom to those who live by faith in Jesus Christ. Not the kind of freedom that allows us to live however we want, but a freedom that helps us to live the way God wants. In Christ, we have been set free to live free!

Alma 19-22I'm concerned that there are too many of us who don't realize the faith in Jesus Christ that they posses and work in their daily lives. They wonder if they have faith, or how to get faith, or think that other's have more power in their faith to work miracles in their lives.In this episode, I highlight the various acts of faith that are taken by the Lamanites that Ammon and his brother Aaron will teach. These are the beginnings of a group of people who will be known for their exceedingly great faith and commitment to Jesus Christ - the Anti-Lehi-Nephis.I desire that you will see yourself in them.I desire that the power of your faith will grow as you acknowledge the faith you exercise and then intentionally take ownership of these devotions to God.In order to receive the ponder prompt for this episode, go to sisterscriptorians.com by Tuesday (November 23rd) and sign up to receive my weekly emails.

Some would say John Bunyan was immortalized through his classic book “Pilgrim’s Progress.” But for this man of God, everlasting life could only be found in one place . . . his faith in Jesus Christ.

Episode 462 - Show NotesI've met people through the years who love Jesus and who serve God but they have never been baptized. They never saw the priority of baptism. Baptism is something Jesus commanded us to do. It's not an option for the believer. It's something we do as soon as we believe. In fact, the word baptize is found 77 times in the New Testament. Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. In other words, baptism is a sign or symbol that represents our acceptance of God's grace.I love the story in Acts 8. Philip had been preaching in Samaria when the Holy Spirit spoke to him to travel out into the desert on the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. It was there, by divine appointment, he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way home to Ethiopia. He was riding in his chariot reading a scroll from the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit spoke to Philip to approach the man. Philip explained that the prophecy he was reading was about Jesus, the Messiah, and the Ethiopian man  believed in Jesus.The New Testament pattern – Reading through the New Testament you notice that people were baptized quickly after placing their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, n the New Testament church, there was no such thing as an unbaptized Christian.The disciples in the early church seemed to know how subtle the enemy is, that delaying obedience to Jesus' command to be baptized in water opens the door for doubt and spiritual failure.As new followers of Jesus, we need to quickly make a public statement of our intent to follow Christ.  The longer we wait for baptism, the less likely we feel the need for it.Baptism is not a mark of spiritual maturity, but rather a statement of personal identification with Jesus Christ.  You don't have to wait until you feel like you are a spiritually strong person.  It's an obedience issue, not a maturity issue. Acts 8:36 - “As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”5MinuteDiscipleship.comThe 5 Minute Discipleship Journal

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 12:9-23Sermon Series:  QuitterJesus has freed the world to be quitters, laying aside the empty attitudes of this world and embracing an approach to life that is overflowing with peace and brings blessing to others.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Galatians 1–3 Galatians 1–3 (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—2 and all the brothers1 who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. No Other Gospel 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant2 of Christ. Paul Called by God 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.3 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,4 and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to5 me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;6 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. Paul Accepted by the Apostles 2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Paul Opposes Peter 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.7 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Justified by Faith 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified8 by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness9 were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. By Faith, or by Works of the Law? 3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by10 the flesh? 4 Did you suffer11 so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify12 the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. The Righteous Shall Live by Faith 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”13 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit14 through faith. The Law and the Promise 15 To give a human example, brothers:15 even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave16 nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. Footnotes [1] 1:2 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 11 [2] 1:10 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface [3] 1:11 Greek not according to man [4] 1:15 Greek set me apart from my mother's womb [5] 1:16 Greek in [6] 1:16 Greek with flesh and blood [7] 2:12 Or fearing those of the circumcision [8] 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17 [9] 2:21 Or justification [10] 3:3 Or now ending with [11] 3:4 Or experience [12] 3:8 Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24 [13] 3:11 Or The one who by faith is righteous will live [14] 3:14 Greek receive the promise of the Spirit [15] 3:15 Or brothers and sisters [16] 3:28 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface (ESV)

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 12:9-22Sermon Series:  QuitterJesus has freed the world to be quitters, laying aside the empty attitudes of this world and embracing an approach to life that is overflowing with peace and brings blessing to others.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Catholics teach salvation comes as a result of faith PLUS good works?Evangelical Christians say salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.Who's right?What's the Bible say?Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to find out.Scripture Used in Today's MessageRomans 3:28-30Romans 4:5Titus 3:5-8Matthew 25:31-46John 5:28-29, 24For information on our Faithwalkers Conference, December 29--January 1, go to https://faithwalkersconference.com/**************Do you want to have all your sins forgiven and know God in a personal way?  Check out my video "The Bridge Diagram" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Kjwrlind8&t=1sCheck out my website, www.TomthePreacher.com, to learn more about my ministry and sign up for my daily email. And make sure to request a copy of my book, Takin' it to Their Turf when you visit my website.Check out my videos on this channel to learn how to answer tough questions that challenge our faith.Have you ever wanted to visit the Holy Land?Join me next February (2022) as I lead a tour of Israel!We'll study the life of Jesus at the very places He taught, performed His mighty miracles, was crucified, and resurrected! We'll also have plenty of worship, fellowship, and fun!For more info, check out my web page www.TomthePreacher.comHave you ever wanted to take a Cruise of Alaska?Why not join our TSCM tour group as we take in the adventure and encourage one another in our faith along the way?Find more information at www.TomthePreacher.com/alaska

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 12:9-21Sermon Series:  QuitterJesus has freed the world to be quitters, laying aside the empty attitudes of this world and embracing an approach to life that is overflowing with peace and brings blessing to others.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Stand Firm in Your Freedom - Pastor James The Fruit of the Spirit of Peace Galatians 5:22-23 Matthew 10:34-36 (NIV) Luke 12:51-53 (NIV) Peace with God a. God is called the God of peace. (Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Thessalonians 3:16) b. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ. 1) From the day of the Fall of Man, mankind has been at war with God. (Romans 5:12-14) 2) Only by accepting the good news of Jesus Christ’s victory on the cross can people make peace with God. (Romans 5:8-10; Colossians 1:21-23) 3) Peace with God is the direct result of an active faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1-2) 4) The discipline of the Lord brings a harvest of peace to a believer’s life. (Hebrews 12:11) 5) A person cannot know true inner peace unless they have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Peace with Others a. We are to be peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9; James 3:18) b. We are to live at peace with everyone, if possible. (Romans 12:18) 1) Peace is not just passivity or a negative attitude of non-involvement. 2) Peace requires individual responsibility and effort. (Psalm 34:14; Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:3; Hebrews 12:14) c. The world will not live at peace with the church, nor are we to be friends with the world. (John 15:18-25; James 4:4)

Old Testament: Ezekiel 1–3 Ezekiel 1–3 (Listen) Ezekiel in Babylon 1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.1 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the LORD was upon him there. The Glory of the Lord 4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.2 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit3 would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning. 15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.4 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions5 without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures6 was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire;7 and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.8 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Ezekiel's Call 2 And he said to me, “Son of man,9 stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.' 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions.10 Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. 8 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. 4 And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—6 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears. 11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear or refuse to hear.” 12 Then the Spirit11 lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice12 of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!” 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me. 15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling.13 And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. A Watchman for Israel 16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for14 his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. 20 Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.” 22 And the hand of the LORD was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley,15 and there I will speak with you.” 23 So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. 24 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house. 25 And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house. Footnotes [1] 1:1 Or from God [2] 1:4 Or amber; also verse 27 [3] 1:12 Or Spirit; also twice in verse 20 and once in verse 21 [4] 1:15 Hebrew of their faces [5] 1:17 Hebrew on their four sides [6] 1:20 Or the spirit of life; also verse 21 [7] 1:26 Or lapis lazuli [8] 1:27 Or it [9] 2:1 Or Son of Adam; so throughout Ezekiel [10] 2:6 Or on scorpion plants [11] 3:12 Or the wind; also verse 14 [12] 3:12 Or sound [13] 3:15 Or Chebar, and to where they dwelt [14] 3:18 Or in; also verses 19, 20 [15] 3:22 Or plain; also verse 23 (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:73–80 Psalm 119:73–80 (Listen) Yodh 73   Your hands have made and fashioned me;    give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.74   Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,    because I have hoped in your word.75   I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous,    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.76   Let your steadfast love comfort me    according to your promise to your servant.77   Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;    for your law is my delight.78   Let the insolent be put to shame,    because they have wronged me with falsehood;    as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.79   Let those who fear you turn to me,    that they may know your testimonies.80   May my heart be blameless in your statutes,    that I may not be put to shame! (ESV) New Testament: Galatians 3–4 Galatians 3–4 (Listen) By Faith, or by Works of the Law? 3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by1 the flesh? 4 Did you suffer2 so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify3 the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. The Righteous Shall Live by Faith 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”4 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit5 through faith. The Law and the Promise 15 To give a human example, brothers:6 even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave7 nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. Sons and Heirs 4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,8 though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles9 of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Paul's Concern for the Galatians 8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 12 Brothers,10 I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?11 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Example of Hagar and Sarah 21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia;12 she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,   “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!  For the children of the desolate one will be more    than those of the one who has a husband.” 28 Now you,13 brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Footnotes [1] 3:3 Or now ending with [2] 3:4 Or experience [3] 3:8 Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24 [4] 3:11 Or The one who by faith is righteous will live [5] 3:14 Greek receive the promise of the Spirit [6] 3:15 Or brothers and sisters [7] 3:28 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface [8] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 7 [9] 4:3 Or elemental spirits; also verse 9 [10] 4:12 Or Brothers and sisters; also verses 28, 31 [11] 4:16 Or by dealing truthfully with you [12] 4:25 Some manuscripts For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia [13] 4:28 Some manuscripts we (ESV)

Scripture:    |  John 20:26-29; Exodus 20:1-3Sermon Series:  God TalkWhen God speaks, stuff happens. His words wield incredible power. And there are certain words and phrases found in the scriptures, and central to the story of Jesus, that are particularly potent. In this series we'll look at 4 words of God that, as you grow in your understanding of them, will stir greater peace in your soul, grant a deeper appreciation of the love God has for you and point you more clearly toward the life he has in store for you.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife Sister Kristen Oaks talked about the need for patience and conscious faith in Jesus Christ as we strive to keep the commandments and follow God's plan for us.

Old Testament: Lamentations 4–5 Lamentations 4–5 (Listen) The Holy Stones Lie Scattered 4   How the gold has grown dim,    how the pure gold is changed!  The holy stones lie scattered    at the head of every street. 2   The precious sons of Zion,    worth their weight in fine gold,  how they are regarded as earthen pots,    the work of a potter's hands! 3   Even jackals offer the breast;    they nurse their young;  but the daughter of my people has become cruel,    like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4   The tongue of the nursing infant sticks    to the roof of its mouth for thirst;  the children beg for food,    but no one gives to them. 5   Those who once feasted on delicacies    perish in the streets;  those who were brought up in purple    embrace ash heaps. 6   For the chastisement1 of the daughter of my people has been greater    than the punishment2 of Sodom,  which was overthrown in a moment,    and no hands were wrung for her.3 7   Her princes were purer than snow,    whiter than milk;  their bodies were more ruddy than coral,    the beauty of their form4 was like sapphire.5 8   Now their face is blacker than soot;    they are not recognized in the streets;  their skin has shriveled on their bones;    it has become as dry as wood. 9   Happier were the victims of the sword    than the victims of hunger,  who wasted away, pierced    by lack of the fruits of the field. 10   The hands of compassionate women    have boiled their own children;  they became their food    during the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11   The LORD gave full vent to his wrath;    he poured out his hot anger,  and he kindled a fire in Zion    that consumed its foundations. 12   The kings of the earth did not believe,    nor any of the inhabitants of the world,  that foe or enemy could enter    the gates of Jerusalem. 13   This was for the sins of her prophets    and the iniquities of her priests,  who shed in the midst of her    the blood of the righteous. 14   They wandered, blind, through the streets;    they were so defiled with blood  that no one was able to touch    their garments. 15   “Away! Unclean!” people cried at them.    “Away! Away! Do not touch!”  So they became fugitives and wanderers;    people said among the nations,    “They shall stay with us no longer.” 16   The LORD himself6 has scattered them;    he will regard them no more;  no honor was shown to the priests,    no favor to the elders. 17   Our eyes failed, ever watching    vainly for help;  in our watching we watched    for a nation which could not save. 18   They dogged our steps    so that we could not walk in our streets;  our end drew near; our days were numbered,    for our end had come. 19   Our pursuers were swifter    than the eagles in the heavens;  they chased us on the mountains;    they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20   The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed,    was captured in their pits,  of whom we said, “Under his shadow    we shall live among the nations.” 21   Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,    you who dwell in the land of Uz;  but to you also the cup shall pass;    you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare. 22   The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished;    he will keep you in exile no longer;7  but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish;    he will uncover your sins. Restore Us to Yourself, O Lord 5   Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us;    look, and see our disgrace!2   Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,    our homes to foreigners.3   We have become orphans, fatherless;    our mothers are like widows.4   We must pay for the water we drink;    the wood we get must be bought.5   Our pursuers are at our necks;    we are weary; we are given no rest.6   We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria,    to get bread enough.7   Our fathers sinned, and are no more;    and we bear their iniquities.8   Slaves rule over us;    there is none to deliver us from their hand.9   We get our bread at the peril of our lives,    because of the sword in the wilderness.10   Our skin is hot as an oven    with the burning heat of famine.11   Women are raped in Zion,    young women in the towns of Judah.12   Princes are hung up by their hands;    no respect is shown to the elders.13   Young men are compelled to grind at the mill,    and boys stagger under loads of wood.14   The old men have left the city gate,    the young men their music.15   The joy of our hearts has ceased;    our dancing has been turned to mourning.16   The crown has fallen from our head;    woe to us, for we have sinned!17   For this our heart has become sick,    for these things our eyes have grown dim,18   for Mount Zion which lies desolate;    jackals prowl over it.19   But you, O LORD, reign forever;    your throne endures to all generations.20   Why do you forget us forever,    why do you forsake us for so many days?21   Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored!    Renew our days as of old—22   unless you have utterly rejected us,    and you remain exceedingly angry with us. Footnotes [1] 4:6 Or iniquity [2] 4:6 Or sin [3] 4:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [4] 4:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [5] 4:7 Hebrew lapis lazuli [6] 4:16 Hebrew The face of the Lord [7] 4:22 Or he will not exile you again (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:65–72 Psalm 119:65–72 (Listen) Teth 65   You have dealt well with your servant,    O LORD, according to your word.66   Teach me good judgment and knowledge,    for I believe in your commandments.67   Before I was afflicted I went astray,    but now I keep your word.68   You are good and do good;    teach me your statutes.69   The insolent smear me with lies,    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;70   their heart is unfeeling like fat,    but I delight in your law.71   It is good for me that I was afflicted,    that I might learn your statutes.72   The law of your mouth is better to me    than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (ESV) New Testament: Galatians 1–2 Galatians 1–2 (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—2 and all the brothers1 who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. No Other Gospel 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant2 of Christ. Paul Called by God 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.3 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,4 and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to5 me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;6 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. Paul Accepted by the Apostles 2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Paul Opposes Peter 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.7 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Justified by Faith 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified8 by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness9 were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Footnotes [1] 1:2 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 11 [2] 1:10 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface [3] 1:11 Greek not according to man [4] 1:15 Greek set me apart from my mother's womb [5] 1:16 Greek in [6] 1:16 Greek with flesh and blood [7] 2:12 Or fearing those of the circumcision [8] 2:16 Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17 [9] 2:21 Or justification (ESV)

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: 2 Samuel 3:33, 38 2 Samuel 3 tells of the tragic demise of Abner, a great man of middle age and robust health who died in a foolish manner. Then the king said to his servants, ‘Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel'” (2 Samuel 3:38)? Abner's story is instructive for those who want to live lives full of wisdom and abundance. First, we see that Abner was in a place of fearful danger; he was in the middle of a battle, fighting on the wrong side against David. Seeing his defeat, he fled and was chased down by the brother of Joab, the king's commander-in-chief. Abner killed his hunter, and as a result, faced a foolish death, himself. “Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother” (2 Samuel 3:27). Hebron was a city of refuge where Abner would be safe. But he was lured outside of the city gate by Joab, who killed him to avenge his brother's death. Abner's foolish death is an illustration of what it is like to die without faith in Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus is our city of refuge, and yet many great, discerning men are going to die like fools because they will die just outside the gate of the city of refuge.” Abner, a brilliant man, died like a fool because he was deceived. Likewise, the devil has deceived many into believing he is their ally and God is their enemy. This friendly deceiver lures them outside of Christ our refuge to strike them down. Finally, we see the final determination of David and his tears after the fact: “And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: ‘Should Abner die as a fool dies'” (2 Samuel 3:33)? Abner's destiny was fixed, and David's tears could not bring him back. Adrian Rogers says, “David wept after the fact, but Jesus wept before the fact. Oh, may God give me a heart that's broken over the lost destiny of men.” Apply it to your life Are you safe in the city of refuge that is a relationship with Jesus Christ? Is your heart broken for the lost? Pray for the salvation of those who may not yet know Jesus.

Scripture:    |  Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 136:1-26Sermon Series:  God TalkWhen God speaks, stuff happens. His words wield incredible power. And there are certain words and phrases found in the scriptures, and central to the story of Jesus, that are particularly potent. In this series we'll look at 4 words of God that, as you grow in your understanding of them, will stir greater peace in your soul, grant a deeper appreciation of the love God has for you and point you more clearly toward the life he has in store for you.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Did you know that you have unique and powerful tool that can help bring people to saving faith in Jesus Christ? It's your testimony! Continue reading → The post All Shapes and Sizes appeared first on Evangelism Explosion.

In This Episode:The guys sit down with Daniel Sellers. Fans of The Richest Men In Town podcast will recognize that last name from Katie Sellers, our first-ever female guest (from Episode #26 "Music Time With Dad").  Daniel's life is a class and the lessons that he shared in his time with Tyler and Mike are classic RMIT content. As a self-proclaimed "Southern Gentleman" he talks about the importance of putting your spouse in the center of your life. Life hacks like dancing with your wife in the kitchen and coming home with flowers are a couple of samples of the nuggets that Daniel has learned along the way. Sprinkle in some furniture building, small engine repair, raising kids, faith in Jesus Christ, bike racing, and creating music and the world will quickly see just how rich Daniel's life (with his wife Katie) is. To Daniel, thanks for the way you showed up. Keep going brother!Show NotesWho Said It..."I don't like work--no man does--but I like what is in the work--the chance to find yourself." -Joseph Conrad"According to (Robert) Greene, there are two types of time in our lives: dead time, when people are passive and waiting, and alive time, when people are learning and acting and utilizing every second. Every moment of failure, every moment or situation that we did not deliberately choose or control, presents this choice: Alive time. Dead time." -Ryan HolidayReferences..."Never Will I Ever (Again)" by Crystal Jackson on MediumPsst...Check out our website or visit us on our Facebook and Instagram platforms.Mike and Tyler are both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  If you would like to learn more about the Church or their beliefs, we invite you to check it out by clicking here.

Do you ever feel like you are shackled and chained to the never-ending pursuit of things that are supposed to be life-giving only to realize they are lifeless and leave you feeling empty in the end? Join us on a journey through the book of Galatians where you will meet Jesus and discover the life-giving reality of the true gospel. The true gospel has the power to break the chains of sin and self-righteousness that lead to death and give life and freedom to those who live by faith in Jesus Christ. Not the kind of freedom that allows us to live however we want, but a freedom that helps us to live the way God wants. In Christ, we have been set free to live free!

Scripture:    | Psalm 85:1-13; John 14:27Sermon Series:  God TalkWhen God speaks, stuff happens. His words wield incredible power. And there are certain words and phrases found in the scriptures, and central to the story of Jesus, that are particularly potent. In this series we'll look at 4 words of God that, as you grow in your understanding of them, will stir greater peace in your soul, grant a deeper appreciation of the love God has for you and point you more clearly toward the life he has in store for you.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

The Bible describes salvation like a gate or a door.  It is open to all, but it is narrow and it won't stay open forever.  We are invited to walk through that door of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  He will take us just as we are—broken and bruised, dirty and ashamed—and He will make us whole!  Follow along with Pastor Gary in today's teaching from Luke 13  

Andrew Klavan is a screenwriter, author, and two-time Edgar Award winner. Among his works are the internationally bestselling crime novels True Crime and Don't Say a Word. Both books were adapted into screenplays and went on to Hollywood success—the former directed by Clint Eastwood and the latter directed by and starring Michael Douglas. A prolific author, Klavan has also written thrillers for young adults, such as the bestselling Homelanders series, and a number of nonfiction works, including the religious memoir A Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ. That personal story formed the basis of his keynote address at the Acton Institute's 29th Annual Dinner on October 15, 2019. In that address, Klavan shared the story of his journey from atheism to faith in Jesus Christ and laid out his views on how to speak about faith in a culture that has largely abandoned not only biblical truth but the very idea of truth itself.About Andrew Klavan True Crime & Don't Say a WordThe Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ Subscribe to Acton Vault, Acton Unwind, & Acton Line See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Scripture: 1 John 3:16-18; 4:7-12Sermon Series:  I Don'tRelationships are not easy. And those that thrive don't do so by accident. A healthy, vibrant relationship -- especially a marriage -- requires not just work but a commitment to going against some of the most basic but unhelpful urges in the human heart. In this series we'll look at 2 “vows” that God says must be broken in order for your marriage -- or any meaningful relationship -- to flourish.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture:   |  1 John 3:16-18; 4:7-12Series:  I Don'tRelationships are not easy. And those that thrive don't do so by accident. A healthy, vibrant relationship -- especially a marriage -- requires not just work but a commitment to going against some of the most basic but unhelpful urges in the human heart. In this series we'll look at 2 “vows” that God says must be broken in order for your marriage -- or any meaningful relationship -- to flourish.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the key to receiving revelations of truth.

Scripture:   |  Ephesians 5:15-18, Colossians 3:16-17Series:  Warning SignsLong before life falls apart, well in advance of things coming undone, there are always warning signs. Like lights on the dashboard or signs on the roadside, God places things along our path meant to alert us to trouble and keep us safe.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture:   |    | Ephesians 6:10-18; Proverbs 13:20Series:  Warning SignsLong before life falls apart, well in advance of things coming undone, there are always warning signs. Like lights on the dashboard or signs on the roadside, God places things along our path meant to alert us to trouble and keep us safe.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Do you ever feel like you are shackled and chained to the never-ending pursuit of things that are supposed to be life-giving only to realize they are lifeless and leave you feeling empty in the end? Join us on a journey through the book of Galatians where you will meet Jesus and discover the life-giving reality of the true gospel. The true gospel has the power to break the chains of sin and self-righteousness that lead to death and give life and freedom to those who live by faith in Jesus Christ. Not the kind of freedom that allows us to live however we want, but a freedom that helps us to live the way God wants. In Christ, we have been set free to live free!

 Scripture:   |  1 Tim. 4:1-2; Prov. 22:3Series:  Warning SignsLong before life falls apart, well in advance of things coming undone, there are always warning signs. Like lights on the dashboard or signs on the roadside, God places things along our path meant to alert us to trouble and keep us safe.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Paul teaches us to have an obedience of FAITH. Our obedience is not to Old Covenant Law, or even to teachings on good behavior. Our obedience to the New Covenant is one of Faith in Jesus Christ! This faith is when releases the power of God in our life! yourdailymeds.orggraceovation.org

If I were to ask you this morning your testimony about how your put your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, what would you say? I would like to suggest to you that our testimony should be very simple just like the gospel. Paul in this passage gives us great insight  about the simplicity of the true gospel. I would suggest we may make it more complicated than it ought to be. The gospel is theologically very deep, but so simple, a child can understand it.

How can you live your "best" life? It starts with faith. As Christians, we've professed a faith in Jesus Christ. He is the Lord and the Savior of our lives. But it can't stop at just having faith in Him. He has a big part to play in giving us all we need to live. But we have a part, too. In a letter written by Peter (a guy who walked and talked with Jesus), he says we must ADD to our faith. He presents a rather strong argument that faith is where it begins, but it should lead to goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and unabashed love for people. You ready to live YOUR best life?

Toward the end of his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul reveals a crucial spiritual principal: we foster our faith in Jesus Christ so that we can help pass it on to others. If we are not cultivating our love for the Lord, how can we share it with those we meet? November 5, 2021 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

Scripture:   | Ephesians 5:11-21Series:  Warning SignsLong before life falls apart, well in advance of things coming undone, there are always warning signs. Like lights on the dashboard or signs on the roadside, God places things along our path meant to alert us to trouble and keep us safe.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

Scripture:  Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:10Sermon Series:  HabitJesus calls his people into a new pattern of living, one that reorients our lives around the truth of our fragile but forgiven lives and the gift of mercy that is continually ours. Sure, people of faith still go to work, still eat, sleep, and watch Netflix just like everyone else. But in the midst of that which makes us similar to the rest of the world is a habit--a particular set of practices--that set us apart; offering us strength, providing us, and keeping us anchored to Christ.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623. 

Scripture:  Psalm 42; Habakuk 2:1; Matthew 14:23Sermon Series:  HabitJesus calls his people into a new pattern of living, one that reorients our lives around the truth of our fragile but forgiven lives and the gift of mercy that is continually ours. Sure, people of faith still go to work, still eat, sleep, and watch Netflix just like everyone else. But in the midst of that which makes us similar to the rest of the world is a habit--a particular set of practices--that set us apart; offering us strength, providing us, and keeping us anchored to Christ.At St. Mark Houston we believe that life is a gift from God and that through faith in Jesus Christ we can truly have a fulfilling life.  Join us on  Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM for Worship.  Find us on the web at www.stmarkhouston.org  or call us at 713-468-2623.

On the Solemnity of All Saints we look to the example of those holy men and women who have embraced their faith in Jesus Christ to face their struggles and sins. May their example inspire us to honestly assess the state of our souls and trust in the Lord today! November 1, 2021 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

In this exclusive interview, pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie sits down with rock legend Alice Cooper. Widely considered to be the father of “shock rock,” Alice Cooper has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. While he is known for his music career, most do not know Alice Cooper is a committed Christian. View this interview in full here.  --- In this sprawling conversation recorded at Solid Rock (a teen center in Phoenix created and started by Alice), Cooper and Laurie chat about his journey to faith and how he has used his faith in Jesus Christ to help at-risk youth in his community. Growing up in a Christian home, Cooper always knew he needed Christ. But it took a dramatic turn in a drug-induced haze for him to realize he needed to recommit to Jesus Christ or he was finished. The son and grandson of preachers, Cooper knew who Jesus was and knew that Christianity was true, yet he wanted to walk his own path—a trail that led him to the heights of stardom, partying, and befriending some of the biggest names in show business. Then it all changed. His marriage was falling apart and Cooper was in the pits of alcohol and drug use when he decided to quit and get clean. He began going to church and said that it was the fear of God that brought him around, that he was terrified of Hell. Although fear brought him to the Lord, it was the love of Christ that grew him. The conversation also includes musings by Cooper and Laurie about the so-called “27 Club,” various legends of rock and roll, as well as a discussion about depression, suicide, drugs, alcohol abuse, and their power to destroy. This conversation in its entirety is a testament to the power of God and His transforming power and forgiveness—if we only accept Him and allow Him to change us for the better! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this exclusive interview, pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie sits down with rock legend Alice Cooper. Widely considered to be the father of “shock rock,” Alice Cooper has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. While he is known for his music career, most do not know Alice Cooper is a committed Christian. View this interview in full here.  --- In this sprawling conversation recorded at Solid Rock (a teen center in Phoenix created and started by Alice), Cooper and Laurie chat about his journey to faith and how he has used his faith in Jesus Christ to help at-risk youth in his community. Growing up in a Christian home, Cooper always knew he needed Christ. But it took a dramatic turn in a drug-induced haze for him to realize he needed to recommit to Jesus Christ or he was finished. The son and grandson of preachers, Cooper knew who Jesus was and knew that Christianity was true, yet he wanted to walk his own path—a trail that led him to the heights of stardom, partying, and befriending some of the biggest names in show business. Then it all changed. His marriage was falling apart and Cooper was in the pits of alcohol and drug use when he decided to quit and get clean. He began going to church and said that it was the fear of God that brought him around, that he was terrified of Hell. Although fear brought him to the Lord, it was the love of Christ that grew him. The conversation also includes musings by Cooper and Laurie about the so-called “27 Club,” various legends of rock and roll, as well as a discussion about depression, suicide, drugs, alcohol abuse, and their power to destroy. This conversation in its entirety is a testament to the power of God and His transforming power and forgiveness—if we only accept Him and allow Him to change us for the better! --- Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners. Support the show: https://harvest.org/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.